Socialization is a key part of raising a well behaved puppy. Socialization is sometimes misinterpreted as having your puppy meet lots of new people and dogs. This is not the primary goal of socialization.

Socialization is the process of exposing your puppy to different environments, surfaces, and situations so your dog learns to ignore acceptable stimuli without overreacting, being fearful, or reacting inappropriately. It is not crucial for your dog to be friendly and outgoing with every person and dog he meets. German Shepherds as they get older become more aloof and discerning. They tend to ignore others and focus primarily on their family and pack. Because of their innate aloofness, it’s important to expose German Shepherds to many different stimuli so they learn to ignore them instead of reacting. If this breed is not properly socialized at a young age, they will commonly have an excessive reaction to normal everyday stimuli because they have not encountered this situation previously. It is up to the owner to continue to expose the dog to normal situations so the dog learns to ignore everyday triggers as background noise.

Allow your dog to safely investigate and absorb the new situation. Encourage your dog using positive upbeat language and reward your dog with praise and treats when your dog overcomes his initial apprehension. Never force, correct, or push your dog to accept a new situation. Be patient and allow the dog to acclimate while rewarding progress.